Zimmerman to auction pistol he used to shoot Trayvon Martin

SANFORD, Fla. (AP) — Former Florida neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman is auctioning off the pistol he used in the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teenager. In an interview with Orlando, Florida, TV station WOFL, Zimmerman said he had just gotten the pistol back from the U.S. Justice Department, which took it after he was acquitted in Martin's 2012 shooting death.

May 12, 2016

"And I thought it's time to move past the firearm," Zimmerman told the station. "And if I sell it and it sells, I move past it. Otherwise, it's going in a safe for my grandkids and never to be used or seen again."

The auction listing on GunBroker.com lists the gun as a 9 mm Kel-Tec PF-9 pistol. The auction begins at 11 a.m. EDT Thursday and ends at the same time Friday. The bidding starts at $5,000. The auction listing also says a portion of the proceeds will go toward fighting what Zimmerman calls violence by the Black Lives Matter movement against law enforcement officers, combatting anti-gun rhetoric of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and ending the career of Angela Corey, the attorney who led the prosecution against Zimmerman.

The listing ends with a Latin phrase that translates as "if you want peace, prepare for war." When asked what he thought of people who would be opposed to auctioning the gun, Zimmerman said, "They're not going to be bidding on it, so I couldn't care less about them."

Zimmerman, now 32, has said he was defending himself when he shot and killed Martin, 17, in a gated community near Orlando. Martin, who lived in Miami with his mother, was visiting his father at the time.

Zimmerman, who identifies as Hispanic, was acquitted in the February 2012 shooting death of Martin in a case that sparked protests and a national debate about race relations. The Justice Department later decided not to bring a civil rights case against Zimmerman.

Since then, Zimmerman has been charged with assault based on complaints from two girlfriends. In both cases, the girlfriends refused to cooperate and charges were dropped. His estranged wife, Shellie Zimmerman, also accused him of smashing her iPad during an argument days after she filed divorce papers. No charges were filed because of lack of evidence. They were officially divorced in January.

"The Trayvon Martin Foundation is committed to its mission of ending senseless gun violence in the United States," read a statement provided by the office of attorney Benjamin Crump, who represents the Martin family. The statement was attributed to Tracy Martin, the teenager's father. "This election season, we are laser focused on furthering that mission. As such, the foundation has no comment on the actions of that person."

David S. Weinstein, a former state and federal prosecutor, said it appears Zimmerman is within his rights to sell the gun through an online auction at the Gunbroker website. Although only licensed firearms dealers are permitted to sell guns across state lines, the auction site Zimmerman plans to use transfers the weapons from sellers to buyers through licensed dealers, according to its website.

"By using Gunbroker as the intermediary he is in compliance," Weinstein said. "I can't think of any legal reason why he can't sell the gun." Zimmerman said he has received death threats but has decided not to cower.

"I'm a free American," he said. "I can do what I want with my possessions."

I would love to see and hear the last of this Jerk.

Do not want....

expensive damn Firearm!

Especially when you can find a brand new one for around $300 lol

For 5 grand, I'm going this route...





.....a Wilson Combat in 10mm auto is my dream purchase

yeah!

From The Hill: "George Zimmerman’s gun vanishes from auction website"

Or trade for a bucket of hockey pucks

here is your Chance to get armed,Man!
Start bidding!

I might, let's see if we can get him on international weapon smuggling charges

Maybe the firearm is only $300....and to have him autograph it is $4700 because he sees himself as an iconic American hero.

He's lucky stupidity isn't a crime IMO.

He's lucky stupidity isn't a crime IMO.

This ^^^^

It's a POS. Gang banger gun. I wouldn't take it if it were for free.

the weapon was pulled off auction.







Museum???

Right on Reb! As they say in Australia, That's not a gun, Thaaaat's a gun! Mine is a 1992 Springfield Armory 1911a1 .45. 2 1/2 trigger pull. Tritium low profile sites. 4 Clinton Pre- Ban 10 round clips. Compensator barrel. Polished ejection port. Never jams! When my Maria Juanita goes off, you pee your pants, before she splits your pants!

Hey I'll take a Les Baer or an Ed Brown too... I ain't picky. Now loan me several grand

Smithsonian tweeted and said they have no interest in the gun, and never had any interest in the gun.

So... probably some low level employee made some random comment to zimmerman, which he is inflating to hype the interest in the gun.


-----

You gotta love how so many media outlets keep posting that pic of Martin when he was about 12 years old or so, while calling him a "child". Technically he was a child because he was under 18, but he was years away from being the child shown in that photo.

Mackerel???

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2016/05/13/bids-george-zimmerman-gun-auction-top-50m/84319096/


This file photo image provided by the Seminole County Sheriff's Office taken on June 2, 2012 shows George Zimmerman as he poses for a mugshot photo following his surrender to authorities at John E. Polk Correctional Facility (JEPCF) in Sanford, Florida usatoday.com
Bids in George Zimmerman gun auction top $65M

Bidding in an online auction for the gun that George Zimmerman used to kill Trayvon Martin topped $65 million Friday morning, though it was unclear if the bids were serious.

The United Gun Group website began hosting the auction after another website, GunBroker.com, halted bidding.

HANDOUT, AFP/Getty Images

This file photo image provided by the Seminole County Sheriff's Office taken on more

This file photo image provided by the Seminole County Sheriff's Office taken on June 2, 2012 shows George Zimmerman as he poses for a mugshot photo following his surrender to authorities at John E. Polk Correctional Facility (JEPCF) in Sanford, Florida. less

United Gun Group said in a statement Thursday night that it pulled Zimmerman's listing because the auction is not in the organization's best interest.

“Our mission is to esteem the 2nd amendment and provide a safe and secure platform for firearms enthusiasts and law-abiding citizens; our association with Mr. Zimmerman does not help us achieve that objective," the organization wrote.

However, the auction was back up-and-running on the company’s website early Friday.

Bidding on the 9 mm Kel-Tec PF-9 pistol began at $5,000 and had reached more than $65 million by 5.45 a.m. E.T. The top bidder used the screen name “Racist McShootface.” That account was later deleted.

GunBroker.com stopped the auction on its site Thursday and said that Zimmerman never contacted anyone at the firm about the listing.

"We want no part in the listing on our web site or in any of the publicity it is receiving," it said in a statement.

Zimmerman told the Orlando Sentinel that GunBroker.com was not "prepared for the traffic and publicity surrounding the auction of my firearm. It has now been placed with another auction house."

Zimmerman had told Orlando TV station WOFL that the gun was returned to him by the U.S. Justice Department after he was acquitted of second-degree murder and manslaughter in 17-year-old Martin's death in 2012.

Zimmerman, 32, said he planned to use the proceeds from the sale of the gun, which he described as "an American Firearm Icon," to fight "Black Lives Matter" violence against law enforcement officers and to counter "Hillary Clinton's anti-firearm rhetoric." He also said money would be used to "ensure the demise of Angela Correy's (sic) persecution career." Corey was the special prosecutor appointed to investigate Martin's death.

The listing ended with “if you want peace, prepare for war” in Latin.

Zimmerman, then a neighborhood watch volunteer, shot and killed Martin in February 2012, in a confrontation as the unarmed teenager was heading back to a relative's house in Sanford, Fla., after buying snacks at a convenience store.

Tracy Martin, the boy's father, issued a statement Thursday through his lawyer, Benjamin Crump, saying a foundation in his son's name is focusing on ending senseless gun violence and "has no comment on the actions of that person that murdered Trayvon."

Zimmerman has had several run-ins with the law since Martin's shooting, including domestic abuse charges and an alleged road rage incident. In a conversation with Fox35 in Orlando, he said if he doesn't sell the firearm, it will go in a safe and "never be used or seen again."

GARY W. GREEN / POOL, EPA

A file picture date June 25 2013 shows the hands of Diana Smith, crime scene more
usatoday.com
Bids in George Zimmerman gun auction top $65M

Bidding in an online auction for the gun that George Zimmerman used to kill Trayvon Martin topped $65 million Friday morning, though it was unclear if the bids were serious.

The United Gun Group website began hosting the auction after another website, GunBroker.com, halted bidding.

HANDOUT, AFP/Getty Images

This file photo image provided by the Seminole County Sheriff's Office taken on more

This file photo image provided by the Seminole County Sheriff's Office taken on June 2, 2012 shows George Zimmerman as he poses for a mugshot photo following his surrender to authorities at John E. Polk Correctional Facility (JEPCF) in Sanford, Florida. less

United Gun Group said in a statement Thursday night that it pulled Zimmerman's listing because the auction is not in the organization's best interest.

“Our mission is to esteem the 2nd amendment and provide a safe and secure platform for firearms enthusiasts and law-abiding citizens; our association with Mr. Zimmerman does not help us achieve that objective," the organization wrote.

However, the auction was back up-and-running on the company’s website early Friday.

Bidding on the 9 mm Kel-Tec PF-9 pistol began at $5,000 and had reached more than $65 million by 5.45 a.m. E.T. The top bidder used the screen name “Racist McShootface.” That account was later deleted.

GunBroker.com stopped the auction on its site Thursday and said that Zimmerman never contacted anyone at the firm about the listing.

"We want no part in the listing on our web site or in any of the publicity it is receiving," it said in a statement.

Zimmerman told the Orlando Sentinel that GunBroker.com was not "prepared for the traffic and publicity surrounding the auction of my firearm. It has now been placed with another auction house."

Zimmerman had told Orlando TV station WOFL that the gun was returned to him by the U.S. Justice Department after he was acquitted of second-degree murder and manslaughter in 17-year-old Martin's death in 2012.

Zimmerman, 32, said he planned to use the proceeds from the sale of the gun, which he described as "an American Firearm Icon," to fight "Black Lives Matter" violence against law enforcement officers and to counter "Hillary Clinton's anti-firearm rhetoric." He also said money would be used to "ensure the demise of Angela Correy's (sic) persecution career." Corey was the special prosecutor appointed to investigate Martin's death.

The listing ended with “if you want peace, prepare for war” in Latin.

Zimmerman, then a neighborhood watch volunteer, shot and killed Martin in February 2012, in a confrontation as the unarmed teenager was heading back to a relative's house in Sanford, Fla., after buying snacks at a convenience store.

Tracy Martin, the boy's father, issued a statement Thursday through his lawyer, Benjamin Crump, saying a foundation in his son's name is focusing on ending senseless gun violence and "has no comment on the actions of that person that murdered Trayvon."

Zimmerman has had several run-ins with the law since Martin's shooting, including domestic abuse charges and an alleged road rage incident. In a conversation with Fox35 in Orlando, he said if he doesn't sell the firearm, it will go in a safe and "never be used or seen again."

GARY W. GREEN / POOL, EPA


A file picture date June 25 2013 shows the hands of Diana Smith, crime scene more

A file picture date June 25 2013 shows the hands of Diana Smith, crime scene technician for the Sanford Police Department, showing the jury Zimmerman's gun, which was collected as evidence at the crime scene, during Zimmerman's trial in Seminole circuit court in Sanford, Florida. less
A file picture date June 25 2013 shows the hands of Diana Smith, crime scene technician for the Sanford Police Department, showing the jury Zimmerman's gun, which was collected as evidence at the crime scene, during Zimmerman's trial in Seminole circuit court in Sanford, Florida.